How it qualified: Automatic berth as the Southeastern Conference champion.

About the Crimson Tide: The defending national champions are playing for the national title for the third time in four seasons. Alabama has lost two receivers, Kenny Bell and DeAndrew White, to injuries, but QB A.J. McCarron has a nice rapport with freshman Amari Cooper, who has 10 touchdown catches. Plus, Alabama has the No. 1 total defense in FBS and No. 2 scoring defense, behind Notre Dame.

How it qualified: Automatic berth as the No. 1 team in final BCS standings.

About the Fighting Irish: Notre Dame is playing for the national championship for the first time since winning it 1988. Though the Irish have a dynamic redshirt freshman at quarterback, Everett Golson, their defensive line and Heisman trophy finalist linebacker Manti Te'o have given Notre Dame the No. 6 overall defense in FBS and have been perhaps the biggest key to an unbeaten season.

Rose Bowl

Stanford vs. Wisconsin

Stanford head coach David Shaw, at left, celebrates with this team after a 27-24 win over UCLA during the Pac-12 championship game.(Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press)

About the Cardinal: Stanford understandably had to sort through its quarterback depth chart to replace departed Andrew Luck. But since Nov. 3 when Kevin Hogan stepped in, the Cardinal has beaten the No. 1 team in the nation, won a conference title, and seen its QB complete 73 percent of his throws. Having Stepfan Taylor, the school's all-time leading rusher, and a defense that leads FBS in sacks helps too.

About the Badgers: Wisconsin and Stanford played in the 2000 Rose Bowl, a 17-9 Wisconsin win, but as the first five-loss team to make a Rose Bowl, this season's Badgers aren't likely to be favored. Wisconsin does, however, a big offensive line to match up well with Stanford's defense, and running back Montee Ball will be ready to add to his NCAA-record touchdown total of 81 (74 rushing).

Sugar Bowl

Florida vs. Louisville

Florida Gators defensive lineman Dominique Easley (2) celebrates with fans at the end of the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.(Photo: Melina Vastola, US Presswire)

Florida

BCS ranking: 3

Record: 11-1, 7-1 SEC

Record in BCS bowls: 5-1

Last BCS bowl berth: 2011 Sugar Bowl, 51-24 win vs. Cincinnati

How it qualified: Automatic berth for finishing in the top four of final BCS standings.

About the Gators: Florida would be playing for the national championship had Notre Dame fallen at USC on Nov. 24. The Gators' offense has an elite running back in Mike Gillislee but has been inconsistent overall. However, Florida's defense is in the top six in FBS in interceptions, scoring defense, turnover margin, passing efficiency defense, third-down conversion percentage, and in total.

Louisville Cardinals wide receiver DeVante Parker (9) is mobbed by teammates after a touchdown against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the third quarter at High Point Solutions Stadium.(Photo: The Star-Ledger, US Presswire)

Louisville

BCS ranking: 21

Record: 10-2, 5-2 Big East

Record in BCS bowls: 1-0

Last BCS bowl berth: 2007 Orange Bowl, 24-13 win vs. Wake Forest

How it qualified: Automatic berth as Big East Conference champion.

About the Cardinals: Louisville is the lone BCS game participant that is an active member of the current conference realignment wave, heading from the Big East to the ACC in 2014. That could be QB Teddy Bridgewater's senior season. This season, he is eighth in FBS in passing efficiency with a rating of 161.22 despite an injured non-throwing wrist that is preventing him from taking snaps under center.

How it qualified: Automatic berth as Atlantic Coast Conference champion.

About the Seminoles: Florida State has a strong-boded, experienced quarterback in E.J. Manuel (7,445 career yards and 46 TDs) and a strong bodied, experienced defense that ranks No. 2 overall in FBS. The Seminoles have been so good defensively, its coordinator Mark Stoops got a head coaching job in the SEC. Only one defense in FBS, North Carolina State, was better on third down this season.

The Northern Illinois team poses for photographers after defeating Kent State 44-37 in double overtime in the the Mid-American Conference championship.(Photo: Carlos Osorio AP)

How it qualified: Automatic selection as top-16 finisher from non-AQ conference and finishing ahead of a champion from an AQ conference.

About the Huskies: Northern Illinois won the Mid-American Conference championship and lost its coach, Dave Doeren, to N.C. State less than 24 hours later. But the Huskies still have junior QB Jordan Lynch, the nation's leader in total yardage from scrimmage with 4,733. Lynch's 1,771 rushing yards (No. 1 in FBS) alone would put him in the Heisman race most years. He has nearly an additional 3,000 passing.

Fiesta Bowl

Kansas State vs. Oregon

Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein (7) holds up the Big 12 Championship trophy following a 42-24 win over the Texas Longhorns.(Photo: Scott Sewell, US Presswire)

About the Wildcats: Quarterback Collin Klein had six games with three or more touchdowns passing and rushing, but in the past three games his completion percentage has declined from 70 percent to 55 percent. But even as Klein's accuracy has slipped, Kansas State remains one of the country's least mistake-prone teams. It's lost three fumbles all season, and only two teams are less penalized.

De'Anthony Thomas of the Oregon Ducks celebrates a touchdown run against the Oregon State Beavers.(Photo: Jonathan Ferrey, Getty Images)

Oregon

BCS ranking: 4

Record: 11-1, 8-1 Pac-12

Record in BCS bowls: 2-2

Last BCS bowl berth: 2012 Rose Bowl, a 45-38 win vs. Wisconsin

How it qualified: At-large selection.

About the Ducks: The lone game that kept Oregon out of the national championship game appears to be a stunning anomaly. Throw out the Ducks' 17-14 loss to Stanford and Oregon never scored less than 42 points and averaged an FBS-best 54.2. It's possible the Ducks' next game could be its last with head coach Chip Kelly, who is being eyed by NFL teams after compiling a 45-7 record in four seasons.